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| See also Poland in spring and Poland - birds and music
The vast ancient forests that cloak the eastern borders of Poland provide shelter to a wealth of birds and mammals. Among the mammals are three – European Bison, Wolf and Lynx – which have their European stronghold here, and with patience and skill we may be able to observe these much sought after species. Although the summer visitors have yet to arrive, the resident birds will be much in evidence and species such as Pygmy and Ural Owls, and Hazel Grouse are all possible at this time of year, as are Rough-legged Buzzard, Nutcracker, Golden and White-tailed Eagles, and up to nine woodpecker species. Our itinerary starts in the impressive Bialowieza Forest, 312,000 acres of pristine woodland that straddles the border with Belarus, and where herds of Bison still roam. Moving south we stop at the historic town of Zamosc with its “plac Mickiewicza”, a superb example of renaissance architecture, which escaped the ravages of the Second World War. From there we travel to the Carpathian foothills where Poland borders the Ukraine, and where Ural Owl can be easy to find in the picturesque winter landscape. The final part of this tour takes us to the ancient royal city of Kraków; a fairy tale city that ranks with Vienna and Prague as one of the architectural gems of central Europe. Saturday
18 February to Saturday 25 February 2006 Please note this tour will not run in 2007.
Day 1: Our tour begins with a flight from London to Warsaw from where we’ll head straight for the mighty Bialowieza Forest. Our journey will be broken by birding stops, and species seen en route should include Rough-legged Buzzard, Waxwing and Great Grey Shrike. As we approach the forest we will keep a watchful eye on the forest edge, fields and pastureland in which animals may be feeding, as this is an area where Wolves and Wild Boar are frequently observed. Night in Bialowieza. Days 2-3: We’ll spend the next two days exploring the impressive mix of beech, spruce, ash, larch, lime and hornbeam woodlands, which form part of the Bialowieza Forest. These areas contain Europe’s last remaining herd of the European Bison or Wisent. The sight of these huge beasts moving slowly through the snow early in the morning is sure to be one of the highlights of the tour. Also, as we walk the many woodland trails, we should encounter Hazel Grouse, and Black, Three-toed, White-backed, Middle-Spotted, Grey-headed, and Great and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers. Not far away is the huge Siemianowka Lake, which, if ice-free, is home to several impressive White-tailed Eagles as well as large flocks of wintering wildfowl and geese. This is an excellent place to observe Elk (the Moose of North America), a strange looking beast that should be easy to see around the lake’s shallow margins. We’ll also linger late one afternoon to look for Eagle and Pygmy Owls. Nights in Bialowieza. Day 4: We’ll spend our last morning in the forest looking for species that have previously eluded us. This may include Wild Boar, Red and Roe Deer or any of the woodland bird species. We’ll then begin our journey south and should reach Zamosc in the early afternoon. This will allow us time to search for Syrian Woodpecker, a species which has recently expanded its breeding range north. We will spend the night here and will have time to explore the famous town square. Night in Zamosc. Day 5: This morning we will head south again. Our journey will be broken up with birding stops en route, where species could include Rough-legged Buzzard, Golden Eagle and Long-eared Owl. Our journey will take us past a large number of fishponds. If any remain unfrozen we should see a selection of winter wildfowl such as Smew, Redbreasted Merganser, and perhaps Black-throated Diver. We also visit an area where we should see the impressive Ural Owl. Night in Muczne. Day 6: Our hotel is in the Bieszczady National Park so this morning we will explore this scenic region looking for more woodpeckers, Crested Tit, and the very vocal Nutcracker which frequents the area near our hotel. This is also an excellent area for Wolf and we hope to see one of these rare mammals as it searches for food in the wintry conditions. Lynx are also present but extreme luck will be required to find these shy and elusive creatures. We should encounter species such as Waxwing and Crossbill along the many forest trails. This area is also particularly good for Goshawk and Great Grey Shrike. Night in Muczne. Day 7: Today we will head west to the historic city of Kraków, birding en route. This former medieval capital with its intact moat, narrow streets, quaint shops, horse-drawn carriages and exquisite churches should look wonderful in its winter setting. We’ll take time to soak up the atmosphere and explore the stunning architecture. In the evening we’ll seek out a local restaurant for our end-of-tour meal accompanied by authentic Klezmer music. Night in Kraków. Day 8: We will spend the morning having a last look around Kraków before catching our flight, via Warsaw, to London where the tour concludes. Cost £1040 (2006) Single Room Supplement £60 (2006) Maximum group size: 14 with and 2 leaders. 2 leaders join this tour regardless of group size. E-mail or phone +44 (0)1767 262522 for availability.
Last updated July 2006. |
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